Manufacture of metal tubes, rods, or the like.



H. REIN HARD. MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES, RODS, 0R THELIKE APPLICATION FILED 001. 30, 1908.

1,%9,5 1 3., Patentd June 11, 1912.

A 8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@myf gn/vwin H. REINHARD. MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES, RODS, OR THE LIKE.

I APPLIGATIO-N FILED OCT. 30,*1908' 1,02%5 1 3. Patented une 11, 1912.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. HBINHARD. MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES, RODS, OR THE LIKE: APPLICATION FILED OUT. so, 1908.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented June 11, 1912.

H. BEINHARD.

MANUFAOTURE OF METAL TUBES, RODS, OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION IILED 001230, 1908. 1 2,51 31 Patented June 11,1912.

,8 SHEETSSHEET 4.

1 11111711. Edi/flaw H.- REINHARD. MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES, RODS, OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30, 1908.

Patented June 11, 1912.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

H. REINHARD' MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES, RODS, OR THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED 001230, 1908.

1 ,029,5 1 3 Patented June 1'1, 1912.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

H. REIN HARD. MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES, RODS, OR THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 30, 1908. 1,029,513 Patented June 11, 1912.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

(a; "7 17 ak/a d M 00. 17% v%a( H. REINHARD. MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES, RODS, OR THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED 001230, 1908.

Lflgg smm I Patented June 11,1912

8 -SHEETSSHEBT 8.

UNITED STATES PAgENT OFFICE.

HENRY REINHARD, 0F ASTON, BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO TUBES LIMITED, OF ASTON, BIRMINGHAM, ENGLANIL MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES, RODS, OR THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'June 11, 1912.

Application filed October 30, 1908. Serial No. 460,360.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRYREINHARD, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at Catherine Street, Aston, Birmingham, in the county of \Van wick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to the Manufacture of Metal Tubes, Rods, or-the Like, of which the following is a specification. a 4

This invention relates to the manufacture at high speeds of metal tubes, rods or the like by pllger rolls, namely rolls which are so shaped that they can progressively reduce the. metal during one revolution, and more especially. relates tosuch manufacture at speeds higher than those at present in use.

- In the usual pilger roll processes of tube drawing or rolllng the tube bloom or'billet and mandrel connectecl'with the mandrel spindle have-areciprocating motion through a considerable distance, beingcarried in one direction when the forging operation is taking place and returnedin'tlze other direction into position for the next grip while the gapsin the rolls are opposite one another;

or the rolls and housings have the red rocating motionwhile the tube bloom or billet is turned around for feeding. Owing to this reciprocation there is 1n each case a considerabletime during which no work is being done on the metal, whence it follows that the met'albecomes unduly lowered in tem- .such as screws. Wlth hand fee ing it is perature, the mandrel becomes hot and as a result it, is softened and also the eificiency of the plant islower than it should be. As an. attempt to overcome this it has been proposed to use a number of pilger rolls adapted to act in sequence on the bloom or ;billet' and to effect the advance and rotation of the worklpiece or of the mandrel between the rolls by and or by mechanical a pliances .quite impracticable to obtain any substantial advantage as regards speed of pilgering combined with accuracy of the resulting product o'verpthe. ordinary single pair mill 7 because-attire "material cannot be turned jof.. ti me unless the mill-is around equa hinc'r-ements at equal intervals running slowly.

"Ilil-netresul t' of this isthat a multi-roll in; l; Twit-h: handifeed either gives no substantially increased-putput or gives an inferior t'ube'. fA' p'lain screw 'feecl also of itself can 1 nothensed as auxiliary means must. be provicled for allowin the metal only to be fed while the bloom is not under compression and also for allowing it to be suitablyturned. No suitable feeding means have therefore been suggested with the type of mill with the result that no practical multiroll pilger mill has heretofore been known.

It has also been proposed to subject to the that a torsion should be put on the fibers of the metal. The main ObJBCtiOIlS against this arrangement are as follows :-It is now known that a torsion put on 'the'fibers-of the metal deteriorates the same instead of improving it, and to this end the arrange menta'ccording to the resent invention is such, that the fibers o the metal are not strained in any way. Further, the rollers with concentric grooves are of no practical use for tube making at high speeds, because they do not give sufficient reduction of the metal. Further, it is absolutely essential accordingto the present application that the feed of the metal should not be simultaneous with rolling, as it is in this prior-proposal,

but first feeding must occur-and then rolling, otherwise no really useful-result is obtained, the fibers of the. metal becomeso attempt 'to' overcome; the difliculties introduced by reciprocatingmills, not to recipro-- cate the bloom but to move the rolls to and from the same. In overcoming the difiiculty' distorted. It has also been proposed as an due to reciprocation ofthe bloom, it will at once be seen that a further difliculty anddefect has been introduced namely, reci rocation of'the'rolls; The time taken to e ect such reciprocation greatly detracts from the efiiciency and utility of a mill, and the same becomes impracticable-for high speed operation. Further in this proposal concentrically grooved rolls in rotating housings are employed and as has been explained above rolls with concentric grooves do not give a sufficient reduction of metal andpilger or ecoentrically grooved rolls are necessary.-

Further'in multl-roll mills as hitherto pro} los equal wearing brasses, the product is bulgy,

or of uneven diameter, unless the defective roll is entirely removed from the mill and a fresh roll SLllJStltlltQLl-2l matter which necessitates the mill being idle for a con siderable time.

The object of, this invention is to obtain a means for the substantially automatic and eflicient production at exceptionally high speeds of metal tubes, rods or the like by pilgering, in a continuously and not reciprocally operated mill, free of the disadvantages referred to above.

The invention consists in a high speed pilger mill having a number of rolls adapted to act in sequence on the tube bloom or billet together with means for feeding the billetin a substantially automatic and continu ous manner while the bloom is not being acted on bythe rolls in order to obtain the desiredproduct in an efiicient manner at a high speed.

The invention consists more specifically in a pilger mill adapted for high speed working having a. number of pilger elements adjustably carried in suitable rotating frames or housings, arranged to act in sequence on the bloom or billet, together with means for feeding in a. substantially automatic and continuous manner, and if desired rotating, the bloom or mandrel during the time it is not being acted on by the rolls, with suitable resilient or like means interposed between the bloom or mandrel and the feeding devices, for the purpose of obviating unnecessary stress in the feed 'and mandrel connecting members and allowing suitable feeding.

The invention also consists in a combined mill and mandrel extractor.

The invention also consists in a means for allowing the metal to be worked to the end consisting in connecting the mandrel or like traveling device with an auxiliary device" either partially or entirely screw threaded externally, or having bayonet catch or like means; and a spring nut either forming part of or separate from a pilger case or the like, arranged so that at a suitable time the auxiliary device may be caused to travel through the spring nut and pilger case. thereby feeding the mandrel forward until the whole of the metal is treated.

The inventionalso consists in the improved ilgermills hereinafter described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of a mill according to one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is a partly sectional view on the line A ll of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a View of the feeding and hydraulic part of the mill; Fig. 4 is a plalrview of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 represents a side view of the feed r ran 2 meat; Figs. (3 and 7 are a section and view respectively of a roll; Fig. 8 is an elevation sl'lowing the divided tooth ring; Fig. 9 is an end view of the divided ring; Fig. 10 shows an arrangement of the elements of the roll carrier; Fig. 11 represents an arrangemcnt for allowing the billet or bloom to be pllgered throughoutits entire length.

Fig. 1'3 represents a side elevation of a belt tightening and loosening arrangement, and Fig. 13 represents an end view of the same. Fig. 14 shows a plan view of another form of arrangement for pilgering throughout the entire length of the bloom or billet, and Figs. 15- and 16 show section views of different forms of spring nuts for the purposes referred to above. Fig. 17 shows one method of carrying the invention into effect as regards working the bloom to the end. Fig. 13 shows a section on .r-B of Fig. 1?.

Q. 19 shmvs a modification having a combined pilger case and spring nut. Fig. 20 shows a section on A llof Fig. 19. Fig. "21 illustrates a modified detail. Fig. 22 illustrates a form of bayonet arrangement. Fig. 23 is a detail view at right angles to Fig. 22. Fig. Qt shows an assembly view of certain features of the invention in plan and Fig. 25 shows an elevation of the same.

In the mill illustrated more particularly in Figs. 1-1l, three pairs of pilger rolls, a, are mounted on axles, 6,111 l'ionsmgs, 0, one

of each pair being mounted in each housing.

is adjustable by means of wedge pieces. (Z,

operated by screw means, a, in order that their relation to the bloom under compression may be varied if desired to counteract the effects of unequal wear of the rolls which mayarise from various causes, and. which in "rttelf would produce bulgy tubes. The IOll' l0t15ll'l5 c are mounted on main shafts having suitable hearings in the framework of the machine and are adapted to be d riven in opposite directions, for example by gear wheels and it. It is found convenient to construct the housing in two parts and form projections, k, thereon, which are adapted to be held together by shrunk rings, m. The main axles, f, are also adjustable by parts a which may be wedges, so that the sets of rolls may be brought nearer together or may be relatively separated, and springs 0, are provided to allow a certain amount of elasticity in working. On, the

roll axles, b, are mounted gear wheels, 72, adapted to mesh with an internally toothed ring.- This ring is constructed in two-parts, g, and 1', in order that the part, 1', may be removed and so allow the rolls to be easily taken out without dismantling the main axles and the axles can be taken out without dismantling the whole of the structure. The ring also has a plate 8 attached in the form shown only to one side. In the form illustrated one ring is arranged on each side of the machine in order to equalize the effects. The rings are substantially fixed in position during operation, that'is to say, so

as to allow the gear wheels, p, to act as planet pinions and cause rotation of the rolls themselves as the main axles rotate, but they are permitted to travel vertically in order to avoid unnecessary stresses. Should such stresses however occur and be transmitted to the main axle, they would in the form shown result in theshearing of a steel washer, t, placedbetween shearing members, a, and 1), whereby thejst-ress will be relieved before the rolls are damaged. The bloom,v

w, to be worked is placed by any suitable means on a mandrel, m the end of which is adapted to fit into a recess in the feeder head, 11 and to be definitely turned when that is rotated. The feeder head also contains springs, .2, which allow a certain amount of.

resilience between the feed device and the bloom. To the front of the feeder head is attached the screwed rod, 1, suitably mounted and on which a se ment of anut, 2,'can be placed or removed y meansofa lever, 3. The rod, 1,. is rotated by means of the toothed or friction wheels, 22, 33 and 4,- driven through gearing, acting in con unc'- tion with a key sunk in a longitudinal keyway in the rod. The wheels are adapted to be brought into operation or taken out of operation by means of a hand lever, 5, in order to control rotation, if desired. The feedin forward of the screwed spindle -is effects when the segmental nut, 2, is in position. As the metal can only be fed when it is not being acted on by the rolls, and as it is preferable that the feeding arrangement should be continuously driven a spring coupling, 6, is introduced either on feeder head or on the counter shaft which takes up the feed by storing energy in the spring while'the metal is under compression and dissipating it immediately the rolls leave the bloom. The effect of obtaining anintermittent feed from a continuous drive can also be obtained by using belt tightening and looseningv arrangements.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13 the arrangement consists of a large fork, 37,.

to the top end of which is attached a roller,

38. This roller is placed over the top of the belt, 39, and is arranged so that the belt is slacked to about the position shown at the rod 11 screws this rod and the mandrel bottomend of the fork'are arranged springs, 40 and 41, which tend to hold the fork in the position shown. One-of the pulleys is fastened on the main shaft 71 of the mill, the other to the shaft 100.Figs. 12, 24 and 25. If the feeding spindle is now held still, as when the metal is under compression in the rolls, this puliley is held still, but as the pulley on the main shaft is continuouslyturning, the belt, 39, is tightened on the top 75 side, and so the fork is drawn up thus A tightening the bottom spring, 41. When the feeding spindle again rotates this spring, 41, expands, and in addition to weight of fork, so pulls the fork down to its normal position, the top spring acting as a buffer. In order to stop feeding when the billet has reached the end of its travel, a longitudinal rod, 7, is provided having a sunk or shouldered portion, 8, therod being adapted to be caught by the feederhead y'as shown in Fig. 24-the billet or something moving in harmony therewith at the end of the opcration. This causes the rod, 7, to be moved forward and to allow the weight 9 to drop 96 into the part 8 and so through the lever 3 raises the nut off thescrewed spindle. Y

- Referring now to Fig. 11 in order that the bloom 12 may be pilgered to the-end the connecting rod 11 is internally threaded to take the screwed end ofthe mandrel w. The rod 11 is also threaded externally and into the external threads a peg orpegs 14 is or are pressed by a spring. The peg 14 is so shaped that in moving the rod 11 and the mandrel w from left toright, that is when withdrawing the mandrel the peg may jnmp' thepthreads readily butcannot do so when the motion is in the opposite direction. In operation feeding progresses until the collar 13 in which-the pegs 14 .are held comes against a suitable stop shown diagrammatically as 11 1 when this collar is held from forward feeding and rotation of the through the sleeve bearing collar 13 and so feeds the bloom right through the rolls. A modified construction for this purpose is shown in Figs. 14 and 15. In this case the sleeve 26 is provided on the mandrel. a: between the bloom and the feeder head. The end 27 of the sleeve is enlarged and carries apin 32 pivoted at 34 and normally pressed by a spring into a recess 35 111 a projection 28 on the part 29 connected with the feeder head, which part is internally screwed to receive the end of the mandrel During the main part of the operation the mandrel sleeve and connecting rod 29 rotate together. then, however, theenlarged head 27 has entered the frame of the mill suf- -ficiently far it bears against .a projection whereby the spring 'pressedpin 32 is released from the depression 35 and he rod 2 9 with the mandrel rotate until. the rojection 28 finds and enters the slot 30 after which it is fed along this slot and so the.

. receive the mandrel end, is attached to the feeder-head, 126, by suitable means. This socket member is also externally threaded and on this external thread is screwed a spring 'nut, 103. Over the mandrelis slipped a pilger case, 104, of an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of the socket thread, which case is prevented from slipping over the socket thread by the spring nut, 103. The pierced or hollow metal-billet, 105, is slipped over the mandrel, 106, until it comes into contact with the pilger case, 104, which is of such an external diameter that the billet can not slip over it.-

The spring nut in one form contains a lever, 107, suitably arranged so that one end of it, 108, may 'project into the thread of the nut, a spring, 109, acting to keep it normally in this position. A small hole, 110, is made in the thread near the end of the socket to allow the inner end, 108, of the nut lever, 107, to enter it. \Vhen thenut, 103, is screwed on, this end, 108, of the lever is sprung .into the hole, 110, the nut being thus held in position so that it can beneither screwed nor unscrewed. If, however, the

, lever is now pressed soas to raise its inner I simply being to end,108, .he nut may be then screwed up or unscrewed, the action of the spring, 109, press the inner end of the lever along the thread of the socket. As

the operation of pilgering progresses the pilger-case, 104, is fed nearer and nearer to the rolls until the recess, 112, in it comes opposite an extracting or like stop, 113, whichisthenjdropped and'so prevents the case from any substantial forward or backmandrel,

ward motion.

At the same moment the outer end of the nut lever is automatically depressed by a projection,.114, situate for example in the housings, and thus the inner end, 108,'of the lever, 107, is raised and so frees the nut, 103, and allows it to be moved on the thread of the socket. The feeding is then fc'ontinued, and, as the nut 103 is held still by the pilger case 104 and the projecting stop 114 in the housing, the socket mem her 101 is screwed right into the nut, 103, and so into the'pilger case, 104; As the 100, is screwed tightly to the socket, 101, when the socket travels forward the mandrel must travel with it and so the maiidrel'aon' which is the billet, 105, is screwed clearfof the .pilger case,-104, and thus-enables the bloom to be pilgered to the end-g In order-to.extractithe. mandrel, 106,

fr'gom, the Itubethe socket member, 101, and

. mandrel, 106, are 's uitably drawn back and -.the;tube. is thuspulled 1*ight. -against the pilger case, 104, which is firmly held by the extracting stop, 113. The socket, 101, nut,

102, and mandrel, 106, are thus withdrawn,

the mandrel coming right through the tube.

and pilger case, 104, the tube being removed at the far side of the mill. The mandrel is then replaced by a fresh one, the pilger case slipped over it, the nut screwed back to its normal position and all is ready for another operation.

Various forms of sockets may be used and they may either be threaded throughout their entire length as in Fig. 17 or only partially so as in Fig. 21. Also a bayonet lock arrangement may be used if desired. One

form of this is shown in Figs. 22 and 23 in v which into the pilger head, 126, is first of all secured by means of a wedge, 125, to the short element, 124, into which is screwed the working mandrel, 123. A distance piece, 136, is fitted behind the billet,-105, and has. a tapered ring end, 122. This distance piece also has a slot, 116, for nearly its whole length. At the end of the element, 124, is fitted a stud, 118, and when the operation commences, this stud is placed in such a position that it cannot enter the slot, 110. The distance piece, 104, and the mandrel, 123, turn together until the billet and the mandrel have entered the housing, 121, and

the tapered portion of the ring on the dis- 1 tance piece, 104, meets with the resistance of a tapering projecting fillet, 122, fixed on the housing in its progression. tance piece is then temporarily held by the forward pressure of the feed against the tapered surface of the fillet which prevents the ring continuing to turn, with the result that the stud, 118, which is revolving with the false mandrel, 124, being fixed on it, finds the slot, 116, which it enters and then travels up the same. Thus the billet can be pilgered right out for its whole length down to the diameter of the previously pilgered portion of the tube.

If desired, the pilger case and nut may be made in one piece, as shown in Fig. 19, the spring not being included in the flange at the back of the pilger case. Also instead of a nutlever as shown in Figs. 17 and 18, a modification as shown in Fig. 20 may be used, in which the end of a lever, 107, fits into a peg, 115, the spring, 109, being on top of the peg or in any other suitable position. The peg may be sprung into a small hole, 110, provided near the end of the socket, 101, when the pilger case, 104, is screwed on, and released as in the case of the separate nut described above. The peg, 115, is so shaped that when the socket, 101, and with it the mandrel, 106, are withdraWn-the extracting stop holding the pilger casethe peg 104, combined with the'spring nut is then p A the new mandrel and screwed on the socket until the peg oatchesin the i v, .ied and so held rigid. All is ady for a new operation.

it is desired to perform extraction of the'msndrel after ilgcring, in the mill referred abeve-extracting means comi roiling mills generally not being nrlud d in this l1'Wf3ntIl011--L wedge, 25, is

suitable number of pilger rolls may be used. By means of the arrangements described shove, the speed of working may be greatly increased with many advantageous results, a better product obtained, and that in an tiicient manner, i

Y ing now described my said invention i claim as new and desire to secure by 'liiettcs Patent is:'

ens for rolling a mass of metal comrotatahle housings, pilger rolls d. in said housings, gear pinions coniy toothed wheel for the purpose of '11 in he finished metal )roduct and an A with said rolls and meshing with an r l l l l I I I 1 driving the rolls when the housings rotate, and mechanical means disposed behind the rolls for the purpose of intermittently forcing the metal to the same, and of enabling high speed working to be obtained; as set forth. I

2. Means for rolling a mass of metal c0mprising rotatable housings, power driven pilger rolls mounted in said housings, and power means disposed behind said rolls for the purpose of intermittently moving the metal in one direction only, toward the rolls for the purpose of enabling high speed working to be obtainet as set forth.

3. Means for rolling a mass of metal. comprising rotatable housings, pilger rolls mounted in said housings, a continuously power operated driving shaft, a driven feed shaft, and a spring coupling connecting said driving shaftand said feed shaft for the purpose of intermittently and in one direction only moving the metal to force it to the rolls; as set forth.

4. Means for rolling a metal bloom for forn'iing a tube or the like including rotatable housings, pilgel' rolls mounted in said housings arranged to operate on the bloom longitudinally, and wedges for the pilger rolls for the purpose of individually adjusting them for w ar; as set forth.

In testimony whereof, I atiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY REIN HARD.

Witnesses:

CHARLES EDWARD Corn, Hundi Hinmicn'r OLIVER. 

